The invention relates to a modular connective housing for use in association with anti-tip systems and locking mechanisms in storage compartments, furniture, cabinets, and the like. The invention also provides a kit for installing a modular housing and related components in an anti-tip system or locking mechanism.
Storage units included in office furniture, cabinets and many other items are provided with retractable storage compartments. The storage compartments, usually in the form of drawers, are often mounted on slides. If multiple drawers or storage compartments are withdrawn from the storage unit so that two or more drawers are extended at one time, there is risk that the storage unit will topple over. Whenever there is a risk of upset, there is a possibility of damage to personal property or injury to the operator or passersby.
Various anti-tip systems have been developed to inhibit the withdrawal of multiple drawers at one time. In those earlier systems, manufacturers, installers, and service personnel often encounter difficulties in sorting, combining, installing and then securing the various components in the intended arrangement necessary to provide a functional unit. Often the system components are difficult to install and align because certain elements are incorrectly sized or missing.
Consequently, there is a need for an improved housing to simplify installation and alignment of the components in anti-tip systems and in multiple compartment locking systems. There is also a need for a kit or combination of locking or anti-tip systems components, including an improved housing, that may be easily assembled, combined and installed in a multiple compartment storage unit.
In one aspect, the invention comprises a modular housing for use in a multiple storage compartment unit. The storage unit may be a desk, filing cabinet, or other unit having multiple drawers stacked in a linear array. The housing may be used in connection with an anti-tip system, a locking system or a combined anti-tip and locking system. It will be understood that in some embodiments, the anti-tip system may not be strictly necessary to prevent tipping or upset of a particular storage unit. For example, some multiple storage compartment type units may be installed as fixtures. The units may be secured to a floor, wall or other immovable structural member. In those instances, the assembly system will be useful to inhibit withdrawal of more than one drawer compartment at a time.
The modular housing is secured to a stationary part of the storage unit, preferably an inner wall of the unit, in close proximity to a corresponding drawer. Each drawer is provided with a corresponding pair of opposing sliding bars, a housing and an actuating member operatively associated with the drawer. Each housing comprises a channel for receiving the ends of the corresponding two opposing sliding bars. The sliding bars are stacked in a linear array along one side of the corresponding drawer. The ends of the bars slide within the channel when the actuating member is triggered upon withdrawal of the corresponding drawer. The corresponding drawer is fitted with an activator which engages with the actuating member when the drawer is moved from, or to, its fully closed position. The housing is provided with at least one sloped surface, and preferably two sloped surfaces, to align the activator for travel along a guide extending across the chamber, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the channel. The activator may be biased to position itself at a preferred location relative to the sloped surface(s). However, a biasing element, such as for example, a spring, is optional. The actuating member is secured to the housing, relative to the channel so that the actuating member will operatively separate or engage the ends of the sliding bars upon withdrawal of the drawer. The housing is configured to receive the ends of the sliding bars in aligned, sliding arrangement along the longitudinal axis of the channel. The housing is also configured to receive the actuating member in a pre-aligned position, allowing the actuating member to operate between two positions. When the actuator is in its first position, any one of the drawers in an array may be opened, including the drawer associated with the particular actuating member. When the actuator is in its second position, the ends of the corresponding pair of slides are engaged (or separated relative to each other), by the operatively associated actuator, upon withdrawal of the corresponding drawer. All other sliding bars within the aligned array are displaced to inhibit their corresponding drawers from opening.
When any one drawer within the linear array of drawers in the storage unit is withdrawn to its open position, the corresponding pair of opposing sliding bars are engaged by the operatively associated actuating member, and all of the other pairs of sliding bars are prevented from separating (or being further displaced) in a manner that would allow withdrawal of a second or other drawer from the storage unit. When the opened drawer is returned to its closed position within the storage unit, the corresponding actuating member is repositioned so that the corresponding sliding bars are no longer displaced.
If the associated drawer is overloaded or misaligned from its preferred travel path, the at least one sloped surface (and preferably two sloped surfaces) provided on the housing will act to align the activator with the guide (along the longitudinal axis) when the drawer is returned to its fully closed position. The guide is preferably a recessed track extending across the inner chamber of the housing, perpendicular to longitudinal axis of the channel. The recessed track is preferably of sufficient depth to allow operational engagement of the activator with the actuating member even if the activator is laterally displaced relative to the longitudinal axis.
In a preferred embodiment, the actuating member comprises a cam which rotates between two positions. The cam is positioned within the housing, in an intermediate position within the channel so that the ends of the opposing pair of sliding bars will engage each other, without engaging the opposing surfaces of the cam. When the cam is in the first rotating position, the corresponding drawer (or any other drawer within the linearly aligned array) may be opened. If the cam is rotated to its second rotating position, the corresponding pair of opposing sliding bars are engaged by the bearing surfaces of the cam upon withdrawal of the corresponding drawer. When another drawer within the linear array (i.e., a drawer other than the associated drawer) is withdrawn from the storage unit, the cam remains in its first rotation position, but the associated pair of bars are translated to a displaced position. When the sliding bars are in this displaced position, one of the sliding bars engages one of the surfaces of the corresponding cam, thus preventing opening of the corresponding drawer. Displacement of the other sliding bars within the array (other than the pair of bars associated with the opened drawer) is also prevented in a corresponding manner. That is, one of the ends of the other sliding bar pairs engages a surface of its corresponding cam, to prevent opening of the associated drawer.
In another embodiment, the actuating member (comprising the cam) is configured to operate between three positions. The actuating member comprises a cam which rotates-between two positions and slides between one of the first two positions and a third position. The cam is positioned within the housing, in an intermediate position within the channel so that the ends of the opposing pair of sliding bars will engage the opposing bearing surfaces of the cam. When the cam is in the first rotating position (and first sliding position), the corresponding drawer (or any other drawer within the linearly aligned array) may be opened. If the cam is rotated to its second rotating position (while the cam is still in the first sliding position) the corresponding pair of opposing sliding bars are separated relative to each other upon withdrawal of the corresponding drawer. When another drawer within the linear array (i.e., a drawer other than the associated drawer) is withdrawn from the storage unit, the cam remains in its first rotation position, but is translated to a third position (which also corresponds to the second sliding position of the cam.) When the actuator is in the third position, the ends of the corresponding pair of sliding bars are displaced by translation, but not separated, upon withdrawal of a non associated drawer. When the actuator is in the third position, the ends of the corresponding pair of opposing sliding bars cannot be separated (the cam cannot rotate) and the associated drawer cannot be withdrawn from the storage unit.
In another aspect, the invention includes a storage unit having two or more storage compartments, such as for example, sliding drawers. The storage unit comprises a modular housing with a channel opening at opposite ends of the housing. The housing may be secured to the wall or other structural member of a storage unit. The ends of two opposing sliding bars are received within opposite ends of the channel. Slide bar segments, which may be cut or otherwise fashioned to be of a desired length, are secured to the bar ends to provide completed sliding bars. An actuation member is mounted adjacent to the two sliding bars in a location that allows the actuation member to operatively associate opening of one drawer with the locking of the sliding bars. An axial mounting member, for example a pin, bolt, screw or other fastener, secures the actuating member to the housing in the predetermined position. The combined housing, actuation member, sliding bars, and mounting member form an assembly unit associated with one sliding drawer. The assembly unit is stacked in a linear array of similar abutting assemblies, each of which is associated with one drawer within a multiple drawer storage unit. In the fully assembled storage unit, the completed linear array of assembly units is provided with stops to limit the extent to which the sliding bars may be displaced along the linear array path. In a preferred embodiment, the actuation member includes a cam positioned between two opposing sliding bar ends. The bar ends are connecting modules that are secured to the ends of the intermediate bar spacer segments. The connecting modules define bearing surfaces that engage the cam during operation of the drawers within the assembled unit. The configuration of the cam, the configuration of the bearing surfaces in the abutting connecting modules and the predetermined displacement allowance defined by the stops are interrelated so as to limit the storage unit to the opening of one drawer at one time.
In another aspect, the invention includes a kit for installing a modular housing assembly within a storage unit. The kit includes a housing with an integral channel, actuation member, sliding bar ends, slide bar spacer segments that may be cut or otherwise adapted to a desired length, and a mounting member to secure the actuation member to the housing. The kit may also include fasteners to secure the modular housing assembly to the storage unit.
In another aspect, the invention includes a storage unit in which there have been installed two or more of the modular housing assemblies.
The features of the present invention, including further embodiments of the invention, will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description including the appended drawings of a preferred embodiment of a modular housing.